Farmers endorse Casiño for senator

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- On the 27th anniversary of People Power, farmers' group Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL) and Anakpawis Partylist-Central Luzon publicly endorsed the senatorial bid of Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño, who is running independently under the Makabayan Coalition.

"As we believe in pushing fundamental reforms in governance, we endorse Casiño as senator as he advances and upholds the interest of the peasant sector and the toiling masses," the group said in a statement sent to Sun.Star Pampanga.

It said the commemoration of the People Power uprising should be focused on the actual struggle of the Filipino people to oust the Marcos dictatorship and restoring democracy, and not on those ruling clique who benefitted such as the Cojuangco-Aquinos.

AMGL and Anakpawis-Central Luzon support Casiño's advancement of the House Bill 374 or the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) and the repeal of Republic Act 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with "Reforms" (Carper), House Bill 4315 or the People's Mining Bill, P125 across the board wage increase bill, the removal of value-added tax on power, oil and toll fees, the repeal of the oil deregulation law and other legislation on the promotion of the people.

The group said Casiño's track record is unblemished of corruption, pro-people, nationalist and for democracy and human rights.

Casiño is also promoting "buy Filipino," as advancement of the interests of small and medium entrepreneurs and nationalist industrialization, it added.

The group also said that Casiño's People's Mining Bill protects the rights of indigenous people against land grabbing by mining corporations. (Ian Ocampo Flora/Rey Navales)